Dec. 26, 2001

NKU TO HOST IU-SOUTHEAST

Norse attempt to break two-game losing streak

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team is 6-4 after suffering an 81-73 loss at Wingate (N.C.) University on Dec. 18. The Norse also dropped a 97-87 decision at Pfeiffer (N.C.) University on Dec. 16 and finished 0-2 on their two-game road trip in North Carolina. NKU will play host to Indiana University-Southeast this Saturday (Dec. 29) at 3:15 p.m. in Regents Hall. The Norse will return to the Great Lakes Valley Conference portion of the schedule on Jan. 3 with an 8:30 p.m. game at Quincy (Ill.) University. Djuan Hankins scored 23 points to lead Wingate past NKU on Dec. 18. Keenan Dunn added 17 points as Wingate won its 21st consecutive home game, and Adam Vandergrift recorded a double-double (10 points, 12 rebounds) for the Bulldogs. Lorinza Harrington scored eight points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 11 assists for Wingate, which won the rebounding battle by a 44-33 margin. NKU scored the first five points of the second half to take a 36-33 lead with 17:31 remaining. Wingate, however, responded with a 21-11 run and held a 54-47 advantage with eight minutes left. The Bulldogs eventually built the lead to 63-50 on a dunk by Hankins with 5:58 remaining. The Norse cut the Wingate lead to five (68-63) on a layup by Brenden Stowers with 2:23 left in the game. Harrington, however, answered with two free throws at the 2:08 mark to make it 70-63, and NKU would get no closer than six the rest of the way. RARE SIGHT: Prior to the North Carolina trip, NKU had not lost two consecutive non-conference games since the 1993-94 season, when the Norse dropped two straight in the Porreco Cup at Erie, Pa. Gannon (Pa.) University posted an 85-75 win over NKU on Dec. 29, 1993 in the first round of that tournament. In the consolation game the following night, the University of Central Oklahoma rallied for a 103-99 victory against NKU. After suffering those back-to-back losses to Gannon and Central Oklahoma, NKU rebounded to win eight consecutive games in January of 1994. SANDERS NEARS NKU DOUBLE-FIGURE RECORD: Craig Sanders finished with 21 points against Wingate and has now scored in double figures in 30 consecutive games dating back to last season. The NKU record for consecutive games in double figures is 39, set by Brady Jackson. SANDERS MOVES CLOSER TO SCORING RECORD: Sanders is also closing in on the NKU all-time scoring record of 1,980 points, which is currently held Brady Jackson. Sanders enters Saturday’s game with 1,631 points and is No. 6 on the all-time list. He needs 350 points to break the record. ST-PREUX HAS BIG ROAD TRIP: NKU junior forward Bobby St-Preux averaged 22.5 points during the two-game trip to North Carolina. St-Preux scored a career-high 29 points (13 of 15 from the field) and grabbed nine rebounds against Pfeiffer, and he added 16 points and four rebounds against Wingate. St-Preux averages 14.1 ppg and is shooting 59.6 percent from the field. NORSE DROP OUT OF NATIONAL RANKINGS: NKU dropped out of the NCAA Division II national rankings after the loss to Pfeiffer. The Norse are ranked No. 9 in the latest NCAA II Great Lakes Region ratings, and the top six teams will qualify for the NCAA Division II Tournament in March. ABOUT IU-SOUTHEAST: The Grenadiers own a 6-10 record after losing to Spalding University, 93-82, on Dec. 20. IU-Southeast is a member of the NAIA. NKU leads the all-time series with IU-Southeast, 8-0. NKU has won the eight meetings by an average margin of 27 points per game, with the closest score being a 67-58 Norse victory in 1983. The Grenadiers are coached by former NKU assistant Walt Corbean. THE LAST TIME AGAINST IU-SOUTHEAST: In the first round of the 2000 John L. Griffin/Lions Club Classic, Craig Sanders scored 23 points and made all six of his three-point attempts as NKU defeated IU-Southeast, 108-60 in Regents Hall. Sanders made all eight of his field goal attempts for NKU - which jumped out to a 22-0 lead in the game’s opening minutes. NKU made 17 of 30 three-point attempts and shot 65.1 percent from the field. The Norse shot 72.4 percent from the field in the second half.